TOWELHEAD

There is really something wonderful about watching a movie that exceeds your expectations.

Yesterday, I had a hell of a day at work. Difficult cases, busy schedule, ten minute lunch and a very sad euthanasia made me a little grumpy and a lot tired. I decided that I would relax the night away by watching the next movie on my Netflix queue as soon as I got home.

The next movie happened to be TOWELHEAD. I had NO idea why I had selected this movie to be part of my queue. Nobody had recommended it to me. It hadn’t just come out on DVD. I didn’t even remember reading a review about it in any one of the entertainment magazines or websites that I breeze through.

I picked up the DVD sleeve and read the description. Apparently it was a “coming of age” story about a young Middle Eastern girl in America. Then I really started wondering. Why in the hell did I pick this?? I figured there must have been some sort of reason so I slipped it into the DVD player and sunk into the couch.

“Ten minutes,” I thought. “You have ten minutes to impress me or I’m making dinner and going to bed early."

TWO HOURS LATER, I was still lying on the couch, dressed in my work clothes and wearing my work shoes. I had not moved since the start of the movie. I was even still awake. The movie was that good.

TOWELHEAD tells the story of a thirteen year old girl of Lebanese descent who moves in with her divorced father after the mother catches her boyfriend shaving the girl’s abundant pubic hair. Being shy and awkward and with the skin color of a minority, the girl has a difficult time adjusting to life in a small Texas town. Her father is certainly not supportive; he abuses her mentally and physically. Her middle-aged neighbor seems nice at first but then he abuses her sexually. Her only safe-zone is the house of a pregnant woman and her boyfriend where she is allowed to read a book about female anatomy and what happens to people when they have sex with you against your will.

If you are recoiling in horror at the thought of watching this movie, you aren’t alone. The worldwide gross for this movie was an appalling $500,000. The critics weren’t even fans. Roger Ebert wrote, “The tone is all wrong for a story of child sexuality and had me cringing in my seat. It either has to be a tragedy or some kind of dark comedy like Kubrick's brilliant "Lolita," but here it is simply awkward, embarrassing and painful.”

I think any movie that deals with the developing sexuality of a thirteen year old girl SHOULD be awkward, embarrassing and painful. I also think TOWELHEAD should be viewed as a very dark comedy; otherwise the viewer might look at it as a very disturbing drama and many of the scenes would be extremely difficult to watch.

As the credits rolled, I figured out the reason why I wanted to watch this movie. The writer, director and producer was Alan Ball, the guy responsible for American Beauty and the tv show Six Feet Under. I am a big fan of his work and I’m glad that he has taken suburban dysfunction to a whole new level in TOWELHEAD.

Check it out. It’s not for all tastes so consider yourself warned.

I give it three and a half stars out of four.

Thanks Alan!